Half the roster

Here's my roster of hitters/fielders going into 2008:

CA: Joe Mauer and Mike Redmond. the best 1-2 catching combination in the AL.

1B: Justin Morneau. The former MVP's backup will be regular 3B Mike Lamb.

2B: Brendan Harris, with Nick Punto on the bench. (Punto will back up 2B, SS and 3B. Alexi Casilla and Matt Tolbert will be at AAA, just a phone call away.)

SS: Adam Everett. Punto will spell him occasionally.

3B: Mike Lamb. Punto will spell him, too, and Lamb will spell Morneau, if needed.

There are only five infielders, for four positions. Punto will play more often than many will like, but that's his role as backup. the limited infielders will accommodate bringing six outfielders north.

RF: Michael Cuddyer.

LF: Delmon Young. He's 'Young' he can learn the new position.

CF: On opening day, Jason Pridie. With the right handers the Angels will be throwing against the Twins, it's likely that Pridie will get the call. But I expect Pridie to share at least some time in Center with Carlos Gomez, who just came over in the Santana trade. A speedster, Gomez will likely be a late-inning substitute runner, or defensive replacement.

The last two outfielders are Jason Kubel (who will likely DH much of the time) and Craig Monroe. Some predict Monroe might not make the roster, but the Twins have shown that if they sign a guy to a Major League contract, they follow through.

The Twins have a lot of flexibility in their lineup. Against a tough right-handed pitcher they can do a lineup like: (* LHB)

Pridie*, CF
Harris, 2B
Mauer*, CA
Young, LF
Morneau*, 1B
Cuddyer, RF
Kubel*, DH
Lamb*, 3B
Punto, SS (switchhitter, batting left)

That gives them six left handed batters in the nine positions, with all of the right handed batters protected.

Bench: righties: Gomez, Monroe, Everett and Redmond. Monroe and Redmond the primary PHs, Gomez, the pinch runner, and Gomez, Everett and Redmond solid in the field.

Against a tough left-hander. it could be:

Gomez, CF
Harris, 2B
Lamb*, 3B
Young, LF
Morneau*, 1B
Cuddyer, RF
Monroe, DH
Redmond, CA
Everett, SS

This gives them seven right-handed hitters and two left-handed hitters, with both protected with a solid hitter behind them. The bench would be Mauer (unlikely to be out of the lineup too often), Pridie, Kubel, Punto

Against a typical righty or lefty the lineup might look like this:
Pridie*, CF
Harris, 2B
Mauer*, CA
Young, LF
Morneau*, 1B
Cuddyer, RF
Kubel*, DH
Lamb*, 3B
Everett, SS

I'm not suggesting that Everett and Punto will be platooning at SS, or that Kubel and Monroe will be platooning at DH, or Pridie and Gomez at CF. Everett, Kubel and Pridie, I'm predicting, will be the regulars. Pridie and Gomez will likely be the closest to being a platoon.

Looks good.